THE STORY – Five friends with big egos and small brains are the proprietors of an Irish pub in Philadelphia.
THE CAST – Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Rob Mac, Kaitlin Olson & Danny DeVito
THE TEAM – Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton & Rob Mac (Showrunners & Writers)
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” has continually pushed the boundaries of what issues television can address, how crass its humor can be, and how truly horrendous its main characters can behave to anyone and everyone in their immediate vicinity. But while its transgressiveness is one of its core appeals, the reason this show has remained on the air for over two decades and 17 seasons is its compelling character writing. The gang’s last outing was evidence enough of this; despite breaking several trends for the show with its charming continuity and sustained sincerity, season 17 was often seen as the best season of the series since season 12. By pushing the boundaries of what “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” could be, season 17 became a return to form for the show.
Season 18 is not quite as excellent as that stellar 17th entry. It aims to replicate the charms of its most popular seasons, though on a much larger scale than you would expect for a show that began as a pilot shot with camcorders in the cast’s own apartments. This is a largely successful endeavor, as season 18 contains every bit of the bite and bile you would expect from a season of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” While there are no instant classic episodes like “Mac and Dennis Become EMTs” or “The Gang Gets Ready for Prime Time,” this season is consistently enjoyable despite its drawbacks.
The show has always tackled relevant, modern issues, but the political edge of season 18 feels markedly more overt than that of recent seasons. In old-school “Sunny” fashion, this season has several storylines dedicated to approaching a hot-button topic from the perspective of Paddy’s Pub’s scheming owners. The best of these efforts is expanded into a full episode. “2026: A Virtual Insanity” could have been plucked from an early season of the show: following a pit stop in a seedier part of Philadelphia, the gang comes face to face with the unhoused population and must reassess their preferred, technology-dependent way of life. The shorter storylines are somewhat less effective. While Dennis and Dee yelling about how they refuse to deal with poor people in “Dennis and Dee Don’t Get Rich” is amusing, its status as one plotline of many in a 22-minute episode limits the joke from going much further.
Season 18 also somewhat follows in the footsteps of its successful previous season in its continuity. There are a number of substantial references to older seasons of the show, whether by bringing back older characters or directly mentioning previous events. The best scene in season 17 – a chilling monologue from Dennis about his embarrassment from “The Gang Goes on Family Fight” – hinges on a well-timed reference. None of the nods to iconic scenes from the show move the needle quite like that moment, even if they’re worthwhile for fans. Yet the one moment from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” that felt like a no-brainer to pay off – that is, the engagement between Frank (Danny DeVito) and Sam (Carol Kane) – is brought to a somewhat underwhelming conclusion after a rare moment of sentimentality in the previous season’s finale.
These aspects are far from negatives, but by harkening back so often to the show’s best moments either explicitly or implicitly, the season draws attention to the fact that it is not quite on the level of those “golden era” seasons. Nevertheless, the season remains a strong one because the writers and cast members maintain a strong grip on who these characters are.
In particular, Rob Mac is a highlight as Mac McDonald. Above everyone else in the gang, Mac is a character who is most susceptible to becoming one-note, and it’s to the actor’s credit that he has remained so enjoyable for so many years. And while the ties to the show’s past have held this season back in several regards, bringing back Mac’s unresolved conflicts with his mother, his father, and his identity as a gay man is a stroke of genius. Mac gets the season’s biggest laughs, many of which stem from this character’s deep insecurities. Because you have invested in this character for so many years, the payoff for him in even the silliest, most regressive of jokes is as satisfying as it is stupidly funny.
Season 18 may not go down as one of the show’s best seasons. But in a complete binge of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” which will hopefully have many more seasons to come, it should serve as a delightful connective tissue between the modern era of the show and its more rough-around-the-edges roots. It holds its own as a reliable season of television, as every episode is entertaining at the bare minimum.
THE GOOD – The character writing remains as strong as ever. The show’s humor has a fairly high batting average.
THE BAD – The amount of callbacks to previous seasons makes this season wither somewhat in comparison.
THE EMMY PROSPECTS – None
THE FINAL SCORE – 8/10
